Greening Universities Toolkit V.2.0: Transforming Universities Into Green and Sustainable Campuses

Publication/report
Toolkit/framework/roadmap
Case studies

Resources

Docs & Forms

OCM Datasheet

Intended Audience

Employees and administrators of universities

Dave, M., Gou, Z., Prasad, D. and F. Li, UNEP

2014

“The objective of this Toolkit is to inspire, encourage and support universities to develop and implement their own transformative strategies for establishing green, resource efficient and low carbon campuses. It will provide an opportunity to build stakeholder capacity to deliver systemic, institution-wide integration of sustainability principles into all aspects of university business. This initiative is intended to improve the sustainability performance of universities globally and to provide support to other stakeholders embarking on their own sustainability journeys. Further, it will enhance the practical relevance of universities to sustainable development and by extension, the new paradigm of the “green economy”. In short, the aim is to encourage and promote the contribution of universities to the overall sustainability of the planet. We cannot have a sustainable world where universities promote unsustainability – conversely, the sustainable university can help catalyse a more sustainable world…

This Greening Universities Toolkit is designed to provide niversities with the basic strategies and tactics necessary to transform themselves into green, low carbon institutions with the capacity to address climate change, increase resource efficiency, enhance ecosystem management and minimise waste and pollution. To effectively support this journey and other transformative processes in Universities, the Toolkit is structured in such a way that the focus is on the sustainable planning, design, development and management of the university campus…” (p.iv)

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SDGs LINKAGES

The resource presents a holistic approach to implementing sustainability practices, supporting SDG 12.6 (on encouraging organisations to take up sustainable practices and sustainability reporting). Particular sections address water pollution and water use (supporting SDGs 6.3 and 6.4), uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency (SDGs 7.2 and 7.3), sustainable infrastructure (SDGs 9.1 and 9.4), sustainable use of natural resources (SDG 12.2), reducing food waste (12.3), managing pollutants and reducing waste (12.4, 12.5 and 14.1), green procurement (SDG 12.7). Addressing climate change supports SDG 13.3. Staff training to incorporate sustainability considerations supports SDGs 4.4 (skills for work), 4.7 (Education for Sustainable Development), 12.8 (information for lifestyles in harmony with nature) and 13.3 (which includes climate change education). Using university grounds for biodiversity-friendly purposes and to provide green public spaces supports SDGs 15.5 and 11.7. Having sustainability-friendly policies in place supports SDG 17.14 (policy coherence for sustainable development) and SDG 16.6 (effective and transparent institutions).

Click on the SDG Target to discover Our Collections Matter indicators

SDG 4.4: Increase the Number of People with Relevant Skills for Financial Success
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number of young people and adults in skills-development activities and programmes drawing on collections, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
Increase in number of young people and adults in such programmes.
Number and proportion of staff who have received training in the last year, to better support their contribution to the SDGs.
Programs and processes in place to ensure the availability of a skilled workforce.
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SDG 4.7: Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Numbers of people in each type of programme drawing on collections from different demographic groups.
Increases in numbers of people in each type of programme from different demographic groups.
Proportion of people involved in such programmes in relation to overall audience size.
Evidence that learners have acquired knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development.
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SDG 6.3: Improve Water Quality, Wastewater Treatment and Safe Reuse
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Amount of pollutants, and reduction in pollutants, to water systems.
Plans in place for the identification, reduction, replacement and recycling of hazardous chemical and materials, to prevent their release into water systems, with plans to eliminate their use as soon as possible.
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SDG 6.4: Increase Water-Use Efficiency and Ensure Freshwater Supplies
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Reductions in water use, increase in water recycling, preventing water shortages in vicinity.
Information on, programmes relating to, and partnerships relating to water use drawing on collections and collections-based institutions in place, to support efficient use of water.
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SDG 7.2: Increase Global Percentage of Renewable Energy
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportion of energy that comes from renewable sources.
Date to achieve net zero, and milestones towards that date.
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SDG 7.3: Double the Improvement in Energy Efficiency
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Reduction in energy use.
Upgrade of old equipment to more efficient equipment.
Uptake of renewable sources of energy.
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SDG 9.1: Develop Sustainable, Resilient and Inclusive Infrastructures
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Development of research-useful collections to support reliable, sustainable and resilient use by researchers and others.
Number and proportion of collections facilities and stores that support economic development and human well-being.
Number and proportion of collections facilities and stores that provide affordable and equitable access for all.
Investment in collections facilities.
Inclusion of collections information in regional and transborder initiatives, notably via digital access for discoverability.
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SDG 9.4: Upgrade All Industries and Infrastructures for Sustainability
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number and proportion of collections facilities that make efficient use of resources, with an ongoing drive for efficiencies and reductions in energy use and waste of all forms.
Number and proportion of collections facilities that use clean and environmentally sound technologies, including climate-friendly energy sources and materials, with an ongoing commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste of all forms.
Number and proportion of collections facilities that adopt and/or prioritise collections-related processes and practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste of all forms.
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SDG 11.7: Provide Access to Safe and Inclusive Green and Public Spaces
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Numbers of people accessing collecting institutions from different demographic groups, notably women, children, older people and persons with disabilities.
Increases in numbers of people accessing collecting institutions from different demographic groups.
Measures taken to remove barriers to access green and public spaces.
Extent of green space provided by collections institutions.
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SDG 12.2: Sustainable Management and Use of Natural Resources
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Reduction of material footprint in terms of reductions in consumption of biomass, fossil fuels, metal ores and non-metal ores.
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SDG 12.3: Halve Global Capita Food Waste
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Quantities, and reduction in quantities, of food waste, both in terms of waste going for treatment, and waste going to landfill or being otherwise discarded into the environment.
Policies and plans in place to reduce and eliminate food waste as soon as possible.
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SDG 12.4: Responsible Management of Chemicals and Waste
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Quantities, and reduction in quantities, of chemicals of all kinds, including chemicals used in maintenance of collections facilities, and chemicals used in care and preparation of collections, and all wastes throughout their life cycle, reducing release to air, water and soil.
Plans in place to eliminate the use and release of hazardous chemicals and harmful wastes of all kinds into the natural environment as soon as possible.
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SDG 12.5: Substantially Reduce Waste Generation
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Quantity and reductions in quantity of waste of all kinds, including avoidance/prevention of waste production, reuse, and recycling. Quantity of material recycled in comparison with quantity sent to landfill. Increases in recycling rate in comparison with landfill.
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SDG 12.6: Encourage Companies to Adopt Sustainable Practices and Sustainability Reporting
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Clear visions, strategies and plans in place for all aspects of sustainability – environmental, social and economic (people, planet, prosperity)- across all areas of activity.
Visions, strategies and plans relating to sustainability to be publicly available and incorporated into planning documents.
Commitments to be in line with local, regional, national and/or international targets and ambitions.
Incorporation of sustainability into reporting for funders and other stakeholders, including the public. Reporting to include commitments and progress towards targets.
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SDG 12.7: Promote Sustainable Public Procurement Practices
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Incorporation of sustainability considerations into procurement, in terms of advertisement and invitation to tender, contracts, and selection criteria for suppliers.
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SDG 12.8: Promote Universal Understanding of Sustainable Lifestyles
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment.
Extent to which global citizenship education and education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in formal, informal and non-formal education programmes and activities drawing on and related to collections.
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SDG 13.3: Build Knowledge and Capacity to Meet Climate Change
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Plans in place to enhance positive contributions to addressing climate change through use of collections. Plans in place to ensure collections, collections institutions and broader society can adapt effectively to climate change.
Plans in place for effective education and awareness raising on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
Plans in place to reduce negative contributions of collections-related functions, e.g. measuring greenhouse emissions with plans and targets in place to reduce them.
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SDG 14.1: Reduce Marine Pollution
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number of collections-related programmes, for example research and education, that aim to reduce marine pollution.
Quantity, and reduction, of waste of all sorts, with plans in place to eliminate waste of all sorts as soon as possible.
Quantity, and reduction, of plastic waste, with plans in place to eliminate the production and release of plastic waste as soon as possible.
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SDG 15.5: Protect Biodiversity and Natural Habitats
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number and proportion of habitats, notably endangered habitats, and species with favourable conservation status, with special reference to locally, nationally and globally endangered species.
Information on, programmes relating to, collections development, and partnerships relating to habitats and species drawing on collections in place, to support their protection and continued existence.
Measures taken to enhance biodiversity value of green space associated with collections institutions.
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SDG 16.6: Develop Effective Accountable and Transparent Institutions
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportion of the population [audience/users/non-users] satisfied with their last experience of public services.
Access to information, and accountability policies and mechanisms, in place.
Effective institutional arrangements, both for own working and for working in partnership with other sectors, in place.
Plans and arrangements in place for extraordinary circumstances such as natural and human-caused disasters.
Effective arrangements in place to fulfil legal and social obligations and responsibilities.
Effective arrangements in place for transparent communication and reporting of institutional performance.
Effective arrangements in place for transparent decision-making and accountability.
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SDG 17.14: Enhance Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportion of policies that incorporate sustainable development considerations, linking to SDGs and targets.
Incorporation of policy considerations from outside the collections sector into policies of collections-based institutions, to facilitate partnerships and effectiveness.
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